You Can't Hurry Love
by Akane-Lovely
Summary: A little fluff may be necessary in life, but too much fluff can kill you. [Inukag]Completed! Edited! Renamed! This is the fan fiction formerly known as, The Attack of the Warm Fuzzies.
1. Chapter 1

**You Can't Hurry Love**

_((The Fiction Formerly Known As, "Attack of the Warm Fuzzies"))_

_by: Crystal, a.k.a. Akane-Lovely Aquamarine (mmorg) & MissCrystalis(lj)_

-

_How many heartaches must I stand  
Before I find the love to let me live again?  
Right now the only thing that keeps me hangin on   
When I feel my strength... Oh, it's almost gone. _

-

Five hundred years ago, in a land not so very far away, the impartial sun was fast approaching the horizon - and never had there been a more welcomed end to a day. The previous twenty four hours had been nothing short of cruel to the strange party traveling across feudal Japan. In fact, Higurashi Kagome suspected the Powers That Be were rather enjoying watching them suffer.

She and her friends had received a wake-up call well before sunrise in the form of a boar-sized rat-demon sniffing around the camp. The dumb brute had thought to snatch away the sacred shards of the Shikon Jewel that Kagome carried with her at all times. If being wrenched from sweet dreams of hot showers, Wacdonalds, and your own half-demon true love, only to find that you are being poked and prodded by the wet nose of a giant rat, isn't enough to ruin your day, then having your "beloved" half-demon cut said rat into ribbons while it's still on top of you **certainly** is.

The trespasser lasted exactly eleven seconds, and that was long enough to ensure that no one would be able to get a decent night's rest. For her part, Kagome was convinced that she wouldn't be able to sleep soundly for weeks. What was worse, her rescuer flat-out refused to let her walk downhill to the river so that she might wash the rat guts from her person. Even the promise that she would take Sango, who was quite accustomed to exterminating oversized vermin, with her for protection was not enough to get the bull-headed Inuyasha to relent.

"That thing was ready to bite your head off, wench, and now you want to go wandering off into the forest? You ain't goin' **nowhere** tonight!"

Kagome opened her mouth to argue, to let him know that a double-negative equaled a positive and, furthermore, "ain't" wasn't even a word, when something wet and slimy dripped onto her lower lip from her gore-soaked bangs. The girl turned an alarming shade of green, and began spitting convulsively onto the ground. Sango patted her back sympathetically for a few seconds before glaring at Inuyasha, who had folded his arms and turned his head up in an attempt to look indifferent. From the sidelines, their other three companions, a monk and two demons, merely shook their heads in disbelief.

"What're you all looking at me like that for? **I'm** the one who just saved her ass!" Whenever he became flustered, Inuyasha tended to lose sight of reason, as was evidenced in the way he pointed his clawed finger at Kagome, as if she only had herself to blame for her current, blood-soaked state. "Maybe you should stop sleeping at the edge of camp, where any random demon that happens to pass by could easily get to you and the jewel!"

"Well, that's not really fair," Shippo, the tiny fox-demon, pointed out.

Kagome, who had accepted Sango's offer of a towel from her own back pack, had just finished wiping her mouth when the half-demon made this comment. Her right eye twitched as she smiled dangerously. Inuyasha backed up a step, velvety white ears lowered against his skull. After traveling with the girl for so many months, it was safe to say that he knew her expressions well. This was **not** Kagome's "all's-right-with-the-world-and-I'm-oh-so-happy-to-be-here-with-you-Inuyasha" smile.

No, this was most definitely her "you-have-about-five-seconds-to-run-before-I-slam-you-to-the-ground" smile.

"May I remind you," she began through clenched teeth, throwing the towel down and taking a step forward. Inuyasha figured he didn't have much time remaining with which to make his escape, but her hypnotic gaze held him in place, refusing to let him turn around and bolt. "We all sleep in a **circle** around the campfire. As such, we **all** sleep at the edge of our camp.' So, unless you expect me to sleep **in the fire**, Inuyasha, I don't really think I can get any farther away from the forest **when we're sleeping right in the middle of it!**"

She had a point. In his mind, even Inuyasha had to admit that. Unfortunately, the same half-demon who could slay a hundred enemies in one fell swoop of his sword had yet to master the fine art of the apology. So, he stood there, mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water, waiting for the inevitable.

And, thus, the inevitable came without mercy.

"Sit! Sit! Sit, you inconsiderate **jerk**! SIT!" The enchanted beads around Inuyasha's neck responded to the girl's commands, and dutifully slammed the half-demon face first into the forest floor.

That was when the ever-placating monk, Miroku, extended an invitation for Kagome to sleep next to him from then on out. This would, of course, be for her own protection. As a result, the poor monk would spend the rest of the day with a splitting headache, courtesy of Sango's fist against his skull. The two women then marched away from camp, towards the river, blatantly disregarding Inuyasha's command for them to stay put. The two-tailed demon cat, Kirara, shook her head, mewed in resignation and followed, wondering if everyone in her world had truly lost their mind, or if they simply weren't getting enough vitamins in their food.

-

The spirits of Inuyasha and his friends were not much improved by the time the last rays of sunlight started fading into gray. One rainstorm, eight hours of walking, four hours of exterminating random, violent demons, twenty-two petty arguments, and seven "sits" later, five weary travelers finally stopped to rest for the evening. With a collective sigh of relief, they sank to the ground, resting their backs against cherry blossom trees and stretching their sore arms and legs. The sixth member of their party may not have shown his exhaustion outwardly, but the scowl etched on Inuyasha's face was proof enough that he had enjoyed the day about as much as everyone else.

"Thank heavens! I thought this day would never end!" Kagome, who had refused to ride on Inuyasha's back after his inconsiderate treatment of her the morning before, was feeling slightly better now that she was no longer on her aching feet. She sent a smile to each of her companions in an effort to bring some cheer to the group and began digging through her backpack. "I have some rice crackers in here somewhere. It would be a nice treat to have after all our hard work."

"Lady Kagome, you are too good to us," Miroku leaned over, trying to see inside the girl's bulging, yellow pack and, if he was very lucky, down her lovely, green-collared shirt. "Now, if you happen to have any rice wine with you, I will bless your name forever."

Shippo, who had been leaning over Kagome's other shoulder in an attempt to see if there were any sweets left in the backpack, turned his inquisitive gaze on Miroku. "I didn't know monks were supposed to drink."

"Ah, Shippo," Miroku leaned back against a tree and closed his eyes as if preparing to share with the fox-child some deep truth about life, "you are mature in the ways of battle..."

"Eh? You've gotta be joking!"

Kagome shot Inuyasha a warning look, but Miroku continued as if he hadn't been interrupted.

"Yet, you are still young in the ways of the world. One day, when you become a man, I shall educate you in the arts of drink and seduc - Owwww!"

Sango grabbed hold of Miroku's ear and pulled him towards her, just as she had seen mothers in her village do to unruly children. "You will do no such thing!"

Inuyasha snickered. "Stinkin', corrupt monk."

Kagome, not sure she could trust herself to comment, went back to Miroku's original request. "I'm sorry, Miroku, but I don't think my grandfather would appreciate it very much if I got into his stash of sacramental' sake."

"Keh! Not like he needs it, either! He's crazy enough as it is!"

"Inuyasha! Sit!"

"Gah!" A string of muffled curses filled the air as Inuyasha tried to remove himself from the newly-formed crater in the earth. "Dmmmd ffffnnnnng wnchh"

Much to Sango and Miroku's amusement, Kagome seemed to know exactly what Inuyasha had said through his mouth-full of dirt, and she was none too happy about it. Folding her arms, she snapped back at the hapless boy. "SIT! You stop calling me that!"

"Ssssstp ffffffnnnng-" (He choked and sputtered until his mouth was clear) "Stop using that damned spell!"

"**I'll** stop using it the day **you** stop being so insulting!"

"Hmph!" As soon as the subduing spell lifted, Inuyasha pushed himself to his feet and brushed the dirt off his haori with as much dignity as he could muster. With a snort and a final glare at everyone, he stomped off into the forest.

Kagome winced. Maybe she shouldn't have done that. None of them were in a very good mood at the moment, and making her friend eat dirt wasn't exactly the best way to sooth anyone's frayed nerves. If she didn't try to make peace soon, they were all going to be in for another bad night.

"I'll be back," she told the group. Crying for Inuyasha to wait, Kagome launched herself after him.

He hadn't gone far. She found him in a clearing, kneeling down to gather wood for a fire and she winced when he looked up at her. His face was filthy. "I'm sorry, Inuyasha, I shouldn't have done that. I know you haven't had a good day, either. I promise I won't say it again for the rest of the night. How's that?"

"Keh. It's not like it hurts or anything."

He had turned up his nose and looked away, but Kagome noted that his voice had lost its angry edge. She sighed and began searching the forest floor for sticks.

"So... You're not still angry at me for this morning?" He said, after a minute of silence. Kagome looked up. He was staring at her intently, as if trying to discern whether or not she still was harboring any bitterness for his actions earlier. She almost laughed at his expression, but stopped herself when she realized that he must have worried about it all day. The girl rewarded him with a genuine smile. It was the closest thing to an apology she was going to get and she wasn't about to pass it up. After all, a truce was a truce, and she really did hate fighting with Inuyasha.

"Nope. Not at all."

He blushed and turned away again. "Good. Otherwise, I'd be mad."

She giggled and resumed scanning the ground for dried leaves and twigs. Kagome had just realize that, with the rain earlier in the day, it would not be easy finding anything to work well as kindling, when she felt chills going up her spine and warning bells going off in her mind.

"Inuyasha. Something's coming -"

"Yeah, I smell another rat." A rustling could be heard in the bushes just in front of Kagome. In a heartbeat, Inuyasha had closed the distance between them. Unsheathing Tessaiga, he stood defensively between her and the approaching foe. "Oi! I know you're out there, so show yourself!"

Two red eyes peeked out from behind a tree and a low, feminine voice growled. "You two! I can smell my brother's blood on you both! You're the ones who killed him! Admit it!"

"I'm sorry, but I'm not sure I know what you're talking about." Kagome frowned. She had actually killed several demons that day, so the stranger in the shadows was going to have to be just a little more specific.

"Just stay behind me, Kagome!" Inuyasha flexed his claws menacingly and called to the intruder. "If we killed your brother, it was because he attacked us first, so he got what he deserved. But, if you still want to avenge him, you're welcome to try it. I'll be your opponent!"

"Don't make me laugh, **half-demon**! As if someone like you could possibly dream of defeating me! Nevertheless, prepare yourselves to feel the wrath of I, Hanataka of the Great Rat-Demon Tribe of the North East! I shall teach you the meaning of fear!"

Obligatory monolog out of the way, a rat, identical to the one who had been splattered all over Kagome's pajamas that same morning, leapt from her hiding spot and charged towards the rather bored-looking Inuyasha.

"Heh. Good, you've stopped talking and decided to start fighting!" Inuyasha cut upwards with his sword. The rat, however, was quicker than she looked and changed course mid-leap. Deadly winds from the Tessaiga tore at the foliage in front of the half-demon as his enemy shot forward again, this time charging from the left. He turned and made another swipe with the sword, coming closer to his target, but still missing as the demon jumped up above his head.

"What a joke! Do you mean to say that my brother was defeated by the likes of you? He must have been drunk..."

"Bitch! Stand still and let me kill you!"

"Um, Inuyasha, I don't think that's much incentive for her to stop fighting." Kagome reasoned.

"Hah! I have no desire to stop fighting until I have enacted my revenge!" Hanataka reached into a pouch at her hip and pulled out a tiny, leather purse. As air began whirling around Inuyasha's sword yet again, the rat threw her tiny purse at Inuyasha and Kagome. Kaze no kizu cut through the purse and the enemy demon, but Inuyasha's triumph was short-lived. The pouch exploded open, and a great cloud of black powder erupted from it just above his and Kagome's heads.

"What the -?" Inuyasha didn't know what the powder was for, but he wasn't going to take any chances with it. He whipped his haori off and threw it over Kagome before the dust had a chance to settle. Coughing as he inhaled some of the strange, black particles in the air, he lifted Kagome into his arms and sprinted away from the contaminated area.

-

_DISCLAIMER: I do not own Inuyasha. This fan fiction is not owned, authorized or otherwise endorsed by anyone associated with Inuyasha._

_Author's Note: Welcome to my little story. Thank you so much for reading! I hope you enjoyed this first part. Questions and constructive comments are much welcome _


	2. Chapter 2

**You Can't Hurry Love**

_((The Fiction Formerly Known As, "Attack of the Warm Fuzzies"))_

_by: Crystal, a.k.a. Akane-Lovely Aquamarine (mmorg) & MissCrystalis(lj)_

-

_But I keep on waiting,  
Anticipating for that soft voice  
To talk to me at night,  
For some tender arms  
to hold me tight. _

-

No sooner had the first tell-tale sounds of battle echoed off the surrounding cliffs and reached their humble campsite, than Miroku had sprinted into the woods with Sango right behind him. Shippo, however, not feeling particularly eager to go running headfirst into his Doom, hesitated a moment.

"I'm just a kid, after all…"

Visions of any number of giant, deadly monsters attacking his friends while **he** hid safely out of sight, however, began running through his little head. True, the three humans he kept around were pretty strong, and Inuyasha wasn't half-bad in a fight, himself, but… What if something went wrong? What if Naraku had attacked and Miroku couldn't use his kazaana because of the Saimyoushou, or Sango got distracted because of Kohaku, or Inuyasha lost his Tessaiga because he was an idiot, or -?

"I can't just abandon them, not when they might need me!"

There was only one thing left for a kitsune cub to do.

"I have to be strong! Kagome! Don't worry! I'm comiiiii-aaaahhhhh! Help! Kagome! **Inuyasha**! IT'S GONNA EAT ME!"

It wasn't until Kirara mewed in annoyance that Shippo realized he was not, in fact, in any immediate danger of becoming anyone's dinner. The cat, noting Shippo's selflessly bold determination to rush to the aid of his friends, had plucked him up in her mouth by his collar and begun running after Sango. As soon as his panicked yelps subsided, she flipped him into the air and caught him on her back without so much as a pause in her graceful stride.

"You did that on purpose, didn't you?" Shippo sulked.

Kirara roared. Was it **her** fault the fox was so jumpy?

"Inuyasha! Kagome! Are you alright?"

"Lady Kagome? What… happened?"

They had caught up to the group! Shippo scampered up to the top of Kirara's head in order to assess the situation a little better. Kagome was kneeling next to a smiling Inuyasha with poorly concealed concern. She held his fire-rat haori in her hands and her hair was frazzled - practically sparkling with static electricity. Miroku had squatted down opposite Kagome so that his head was level with Inuyasha's. It appeared the monk was examining the half-demon's eyes as he leaned heavily on his staff for balance. Sango was hovering over Miroku's shoulder and seemed to be truly disturbed about something.

Shippo frowned. Everything seemed in order - they were all present and accounted for, he couldn't smell any blood and Inuyasha was smiling cheerfully…

The fox-demon's eyes narrowed.

Inuyasha was smiling – cheerfully?

This wasn't his "I-just-kicked-some-major-demon-ass" smile, either, nor was it the "I'm-really-gonna-enjoy-pummeling-you-to-the-ground" smile that Shippo knew all too well.

This look was different. Shippo could only compare it with Kagome's "I'm-oh-so-happy-to-see-everyone-again" smile that she gave them whenever she returned from one of her extended absences in her homeland. What was Kagome's smile doing on Inuyasha's face?

"Inuyasha, are you sure you're alright?"

"I'm fine, Sango. My head's a little fuzzy, but other than that…" The dog-boy-in-question looked up at them earnestly. "I don't think that rat's powder was anything to worry about. Thanks for your concern, though. It means a lot to me to know you all… eh?"

Inuyasha's eyes crossed, following Kagome's hand as it moved from its position on his haori to his forehead. "He doesn't have a fever," the girl told the frowning monk and demon slayer after a moment.

"See? Now do you believe I'm ok?" Dog ears twitched when the soft hand left his face. What was everyone so upset about? The brilliant smile faltered, only to be replaced by a look of pure concern. "Did I do something wrong?"

"I don't sense any evil aura surrounding him," Miroku stood up and straightened his robes. "I don't believe Inuyasha has been possessed... And yet…"

"What? Did I grow an extra head or something?" Stranger things had happened, after all. Inuyasha felt both of his shoulders - just to make sure.

"Anyway, if he were possessed by an evil spirit, don't you think he'd be acting a little more… **evil**?"

"Yes, Sango. I think you're right. Still, this **is** a little disturbing…"

"Hey, guys! Tell me what you're all so worried about. I can't help if I don't know what the problem is." It wasn't a demand - more of a quiet supplication as he stood, looking from friend to friend in hopes that someone would get around to telling him what was going on. The three humans exchanged nervous glances, unsure of how to explain their concern without sounding rude. It wasn't like there was anything wrong with Inuyasha being so amiable… It's just that none of them were aware that the phrase thanks for your concern' was actually in Inuyasha's vocabulary.

Shippo had seen and heard enough. It was clear to him that none of his friends were grasping the true nature of this situation. Jumping off of Kirara, he marched right between Miroku and Sango and leapt up onto the confused Inuyasha's shoulder. He whacked Inuyasha's head with a tiny fist and taunted, "What's the matter with you, Inuyasha, did you get yourself hit in the head or somethin'?"

Not a trace of anger flickered behind Inuyasha's eyes. "What do you mean, Shippo?"

It didn't work! Shippo's jaw dropped momentarily, but he quickly recovered. "Oi, you truly are an idiot, aren't you? Was there really a demon here, you moron, or did you just get **scared** of your own shadow and start attacking random trees?"

"No, there was definitely a rat-demon. You can ask Kagome, she saw it, too." Inuyasha nodded in the girl's direction before sighing. "Unfortunately, I had to kill it. Shame, really. We might have been able to talk things out if I hadn't acted so rashly…"

An eerie stillness followed on the tail of this declaration. Inuyasha's companions were temporarily struck dumb, the birds fell silent, and even the wind seemed to have died down.

"What? What did I say?"

Shippo shook himself mentally. The humans appeared to be frozen in a state of shock, so it was going to be up to him to get that idiot to snap out of it. This was no time to panic…

Inuyasha frowned, an expression that filled the kit's heart with hope. That was, until he asked, "Shippo, are you ok? You look kinda shaken up."

"**Gah**!" Shippo grabbed a tuft of Inuyasha's silvery mane and yanked at it desperately. "Who are you? What have you done to Inuyasha!"

"Shippo, what're you - Hey! Kagome! Shippo's gone crazy! Get off! Owwww!"

"Shippo! Shippo! Calm down!" It took several minutes and the combined efforts of Kagome and Sango to extract the traumatized fox-demon's hands from Inuyasha's head. Kagome hugged Shippo closely in an effort to reassure him - and also because she thought that having his hair nearly yanked out would be enough to make Inuyasha rethink his agreeable behavior.

"Shippo…" Amber eyes were hidden beneath the tangled mess left behind by the little fox. The group held a collective breath; dear Shippo was not likely to live to see tomorrow! Clawed hands reached up to part the tresses away from his face. Brilliantly shinning fangs flashed… into a paternal smile?

"Shippo, sorry, but I don't think you should eat so much of that candy anymore. You're gettin' kinda hyper."

The muscles around Kagome's right eye twitched violently. "I think we should get back to camp."

Miroku cleared his throat. "I agree. We can discuss exactly what happened between you, Inuyasha and that demon after we've all had something to eat, yes?"

Shippo shook his head miserably. Trust Miroku to keep his expression neutral at a time like this.

"Are you certain you don't have any saké?"

_Shoulda known._

-

Thanks to their good friend, Hanataka the Rat Demon of the Northern… Eastern… **Somewhere**, it was much too late in the evening to think about catching and roasting anything to eat. Fortunately, there were still some provisions left over from the donations of villagers whose homes the group had saved just a few days ago from an infestation of slug demons (though it was best not to think of that right before dinner…) Along with Kagome's rice crackers and four cups of ramen, they were able to improvise a fairly decent meal.

Kagome watched in amusement as Inuyasha ate his favorite dish. The sun could stop shinning and the world fall off its axis, but Inuyasha would still slurp his ramen down like it was both his first and last meal ever. She smiled. He may have been acting strangely, but at least some things did not change.

He looked up at her, chopsticks raised halfway to his mouth. "Hey, Kagome, you're sure it's alright if I have your portion of ramen? I feel bad taking food out of your mouth…"

"Please eat it, I'm not that hungry. Honest."

Inuyasha nodded. Then, he glanced at the little fox-demon who was eying him warily from across the campfire. "Well, maybe Shippo should have it, then. He's looking all pale and shaky."

Kagome wondered briefly if Inuyasha had somehow managed to hit himself over the head with the blunt end of his sword sometime while she was underneath his haori. Was that even physically possible? She supposed it could be, if one was clumsy enough… But Inuyasha was nothing if not well-coordinated. She mentally crossed that theory off. "Sango?"

"Hmmm?"

"Have you ever heard of demons carrying behavior-altering poisons?"

"Yeah, I've been thinking about it since you mentioned that rat threw some powder at you…" The exterminator had on that far-away expression she always wore when talking about the members of her fallen village. "Once, when we were trying to get rid of a colony of salamander-demons, a fellow exterminator lost his face mask. He was exposed to some of the venom and spent the rest of the week just sitting on his porch, staring off into space. When he finally snapped out of it, all he remembered was that he had felt like a great cloud had settled over his brain, and then he just felt content, like nothing was wrong with the world."

"Really? Sounds nice." They all turned to see Inuyasha, lying flat on his stomach with his elbows in the dirt. He had his head propped up in his hands like a child at story time.

"Indeed. Sango," Miroku turned his attention back to the worried demon slayer. "Do you think the same kind of thing has happened to Inuyasha?"

Sango slapped Miroku's wandering hand away before responding. "It's the only thing I can think of. Other demons may have been able to harvest the salamander-venom and turned it into a toxin that would help them render their enemies harmless. Of course, Inuyasha is a half-demon, so he's not reacting quite the same way a human would."

"So, if I had inhaled that powder-stuff, I'd probably be comatose right about now?"

"I'd say it's a strong possibility, yes. You were lucky."

Knowing just how close she had come to being paralyzed by some vengeful rat's poison made Kagome feel incredibly warm and squishy inside… She blinked. No, that wasn't right… She had been tackle-hugged by a very alarmed Inuyasha!

"That would have been awful! I'm so glad you're ok, Kagome! You're really sure you feel fine, right?"

"I… uh… yeah, I'm… I feel... perfect…" She kept her head buried in Inuyasha's chest, not wanting anyone to see her furious blushing. Maybe… Maybe if he was going to act so affectionate… This wasn't such a bad thing, after all.

"Ah… In any case…" Poor Sango was trying valiantly to keep talking as if nothing unusual was going on. "I think the affects of the poison should wear off in a day or two. If not, we'll be back at Kaede's village by then, she might know what to do.""

_Damn._ Kagome sighed in resignation.

"We will simply have to wait and see what happens." With a stealth that came from decades of patient practice, Miroku once again inched his fingers towards the flustered Sango's voluptuous…

"Monk!"

_So close!_

"Sango. I thought that since we were all being more affectionate tonight," his head tilted towards Inuyasha, who was currently resting his head in Kagome's lap, "you might want to…"

"Don't make me kill you in front of Shippo." She fingered the edge of her dagger."

"Oh, don't worry, Sango," the innocent kit told her, "I don't mind if you do."

Miroku sighed.

-

_DISCLAIMER: I do not own Inuyasha. This fan fiction is not owned, authorized or otherwise endorsed by anyone associated with Inuyasha._

_Author's Note: Thank you, WJ and Lady Barrista, for your kind reviews! They really encouraged me! The first chapter was difficult for me to write for some reason, but I felt like the second flowed a lot more smoothly. I hope you enjoyed it. I'll be back with the next chapter in a couple days._


	3. Chapter 3

**You Can't Hurry Love**

_((The Fiction Formerly Known As, "Attack of the Warm Fuzzies"))_

_by: Crystal, a.k.a. Akane-Lovely Aquamarine (mmorg) & MissCrystalis(lj)_

-

_Remember, Mama said_

_You can't hurry love.  
No, you'll just have to wait.  
Just trust in a good time,  
No matter how long it takes._

-

Kagome had come to the conclusion that she was much too honest for her own good. As much as she wanted to enjoy the "newer, gentler" Inuyasha, she couldn't squelch the nagging sensation in the pit of her stomach that told her she was taking advantage of her friend. After being cuddled by the distraught half-demon for the longest and shortest five minutes of her existence, he had given her a gentle kiss on her temple before curling up in her lap and falling asleep.

She did not allow her eyes to leave the flickering light of the fire – not to check and see if Sango, Miroku or Shippo had seen the kiss, and **certainly** not to look down at her sleeping companion. A hundred thoughts were racing through her mind all at once, and none of them would stay still long enough for her to analyze it properly.

_He kissed me!_

_He kissed me?_

It was a really sweet kiss, too, and the look in his eyes when he did it would have made her knees go all weak and rubbery if she had been standing up at the –

_Stop it!_ Kagome growled mentally, brows furrowed. He wasn't in his right mind! He had been **drugged**! What kind of a person was she to accept the affections of a boy who clearly didn't have any control over his actions? She knew full-well Inuyasha would **never** act like that under normal circumstances. What would he say once the effects of the powder wore off?

Maybe he wouldn't remember this when he came to his senses. Sango seemed to think that he wouldn't. A sigh escaped Kagome's lips as she lost the battle of wills to keep her hands firmly planted at her sides. Delicate fingers smoothed over the surface of Inuyasha's triangular, white ears. Despite his sometimes callous nature, his ears were among the softest things she had ever felt.

His nose twitched in his sleep, a clawed hand reaching up to absently scratch it before plopping back to the ground. Looking at his peaceful face as he slumbered, she stifled a groan. What was she thinking? He trusted her, and here she sat trying to excuse her behavior by saying he wouldn't remember it? Would he do the same, were the tables turned? Kagome chewed her lower lip, letting her hands fall back to the grass.

No. Inuyasha had always protected her and she knew, somehow, if it had been **her** doused with a behavior-altering drug, he would have protected her integrity as well. A simple kiss may not have mattered much to some people in her own time, but for Inuyasha, every touch was meaningful. Letting him hold her like that – taking pleasure from his kiss – was it truly any different than the actions of a boy who slipped drugs into a girl's drink in order to get what he wanted?

"Oh, God," her hand flew to her mouth, and she felt a lump in her throat as her eyes began to water. What kind of a horrible person **was** she? And she called herself a friend? "I'm no better than a rapist!"

"Kagome?"

The girl's eyes at once left the sanctuary of the flames. To her horror, her other traveling companions were staring right back at her, eyebrows raised in what looked suspiciously like amusement.

"Lady Kagome, is there anything you wish to speak with us about?" Miroku inquired. "It seems there is something troubling you."

Kagome shook her head violently.

Miroku sighed, looking just a little disappointed. "In that case, perhaps we should turn in for the night?"

-

When morning came, Sango couldn't help noticing that Inuyasha was not the only one acting strangely. Kagome kept bumbling about the camp, dropping things and stumbling into people. Whenever anyone inquired after her well-being or general state of mind, the girl would blush furiously before rambling on about the weather or something else equally unrelated. Even more unusual was that the girl had defended Inuyasha to Shippo, something that Sango was certain she had never seen before. The fox demon, at last convinced that Inuyasha was not possessed, but in fact, only under the influence of a behavior-altering poison, had thought to take full advantage of the situation.

"Hey, Inuyasha!" Shippo leapt onto the half-demon's shoulder as the group started out on the road again. "Mind if I have what's left of the Pocky?"

"Sure," Inuyasha smiled brilliantly at the fox-demon. "I don't really care about them one way or the other; I just take them from you to tease you."

Kagome, who was walking beside the two, smacked her forehead with the palm of her hand. _Don't admit to that, you dummy, _she thought.

"Oh, really?" Shippo's smirk was nothing less than, well, demonic. "And the dried potatoes?"

"Well, I actually do like those," Inuyasha began as his gaze was caught by a butterfly flitting across their path. The winged creature landed a few paces away, in a patch of sky blue irises. "But you can have 'em if you want. I don't need 'em."

Kagome bit her lip, not sure if she should intervene or not. Although it was great to see Inuyasha being so generous, a part of her felt that what Shippo was doing was tantamount to thievery. "Shippo...be nice."

"Oh, sorry, Kagome." The kit's face screwed up in thought for a minute, then his smile returned with interest. "Hey, Inuyasha, could I **please** have your share of the Ramen tonight, that is if you don't mind, of course?"

Something within Kagome snapped, at that point. "No! Absolutely not!"

Shippo blinked down at her in amazement, as did the rest of the group. "But, I said please..."

"That's **not** what I meant when I said, 'be nice!'" She shouted up to the sky before turning to the kit. "You can't just make him give you everything he likes, Shippo!"

"I can't?"

"No! It isn't right! It isn't fair! Would Inuyasha take advantage of **you** that way?"

"Yes," Shippo answered, without missing a beat.

This had Kagome stumped for a moment. Her mouth hung open for a second, then she snapped her fingers in triumph. "Ah ha! But I wouldn't **let** him!"

"I guess, not," Shippo pouted, "but, Ka-"

Whatever Shippo was going to say was lost in the wind as Inuyasha suddenly made a graceful leap away from the group.

"What are you doing?" The fox demanded when the half-demon knelt deftly next to a particularly brilliant iris.

"Just thought Kagome might like one," Inuyasha said casually. Amber eyes inspected a few of the flowers before settling on what he thought was the perfect one. Severing it from the plant with a single claw, he held it carefully in the palm of his hand before swiftly returning to Kagome's side. The poor girl could only gape wordlessly as Inuyasha gently slipped the stem behind her left ear.

"I-I-Inuyasha? What're you..." Her body was rigid, leaning slightly away from him. She thought she ought to be heading for the hills, but dared not move least she launch herself in the opposite direction – right into his arms.

_This isn't him! It isn't him! He doesn't know what he's doing! Don't do anything stupid, Kagome! _She chanted the words like a mantra over and over in her mind.

"I used to see the girls in the village wearing flowers just like that." He brushed a strand of hair from her eyes. "I always thought... one would look really pretty on you."

Kagome squeaked. His face was so close, and getting closer! Sango, Miroku and Kirara leaned forward, holding their breath.

Shippo smacked Inuyasha on the back of his skull. "Just what do you think you're doing with me still on your shoulder? This isn't the time to be getting all sentimental, you moron!"

Although a part of her wanted to scream at the cute little demon to get lost, the rational part of Kagome knew she should be grateful he had broken the spell. While she still had the strength within her to do it, she pivoted on her heals and half-walked, half-ran towards Sango.

"Well, thanks for that lovely ki – uh – flower! I think I drank too much tea for breakfast, better run to the ladies room, bush, thing... Sango and I will be right back, so don't bother waiting for us, just carry on, ok?" Kagome rambled on while grabbing Sango's arm and dragging her away from the group. She didn't dare turn around to check if the boys had continued walking or not, and she didn't stop until she had marched for a good five minutes, at which point she collapsed breathlessly onto a fallen log.

"Kagome, are you ok?" Sango frowned, watching as her friend tried to gain control of whatever emotions were gripping her, then turning to look back in the direction they had just come from. "They'll probably follow us soon, you know."

"I know, I know," Kagome groaned, resting her forehead in her hands, "but I needed to get away before we did something really, really stupid."

Sango sighed and took a seat next to Kagome, who scooted over a bit to accommodate her friend. "Something stupid, like... kiss?"

"No!" Kagome shook her head, but refused to look Sango in the eye. "It's not... I mean... It wouldn't really be... I just couldn't... Argh!"

"I think I know what you mean," Sango said, quietly, a small smile playing across her lips. "It would be so easy... Even though you know it would be a bad idea... But, it'd be nice not to fight him. Fighting... It gets old..."

"We're not talking about Inuyasha anymore, are we?" Kagome looked up at Sango out of the corner of her eyes.

"Of course... who else would I be...?" Sango trailed off. She took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and leaned into Kagome.

"We're so screwed," Kagome told her, letting her head rest against the demon slayer's shoulder. She hadn't realized how exhausted she was, not having slept much the night before.

Their moment of peaceful bonding, however, was very short-lived.

Somewhere in the distance, three voices began shouting at once, and then the unmistakable roar of a demon could be heard. Both girls were on their feet in an instant, Sango reaching behind her to pull her boomerang off it's strap, and Kagome tightening her grip on her bow.

"Come on!" Sango sprinted towards the men's voices with Kagome on her tail.

_I can't believe I left him alone! I hope he'll still be able to handle himself! _Kagome thought desperately, pushing aside visions of Inuyasha trying to offer some behemoth creature a nice cup of tea. _Oh, please don't let him do anything stupid!_

They reached the men just in time to witness a very disturbing sight, indeed. Although Inuyasha had not exactly offered the demon refreshments, the situation wasn't much better. Miroku and Shippo were standing nearest the women, and were quickly joined by the new arrivals. The monk had his cursed hand outstretched towards what was quite possibly the strangest creature Kagome had ever encountered.

The closest thing she could compare it to was a cross between a dragon and... kelp; it was long, spindly, and a very dark green, with several dozen clawed appendages running along it's body. And at the end of it's very thin neck, two reptilian eyes were glaring down a toothy snout at...

"Inuyasha!" Miroku called to the half-demon. "Get the hell out of the way!"

Kagome muttered a curse that would have made Inuyasha proud, but it was lost in the wind as the kelp-dragon roared again. Kagome's heart threatened to beat right out of her chest. Her poor, befuddled half-demon's back was to the monster as he stood recklessly between the monk and the kelp-creature. His arms folded in what was _almost_ the typical, stubborn pose they were all used to as Kirara tried pulling him away by the hem of his haori.

"What does he think he's doing?" Sango demanded.

"Don't you realize? This is a rare Kombu Dragon!" Inuyasha shouted back to them. "You can't just cut it down like it's nothing!"

Kagome very nearly fell over in shock. "He's protecting the dragon?"

"Inuyasha, don't be an idiot!" Miroku called back. "You're going to get yourself killed!"

The half demon shook his head, oblivious to the creature that was sniffing at him as if he were a delectable appetizer. Kirara gave up trying to pull the boy away from the monster, and resigned herself to stay and fight. She growled up at the thing, ready to pounce if it came any closer.

"Kombu Dragons are known for their plundering of villages. That dragon has probably left a wake of destruction from here to the sea!" Sango pointed an accusing finger at the creature. "Just stand aside and let us take care of it!"

"I'm sorry, Sango, but I can't let you do that!" The half-demon didn't even flinch when one of the creature's claws went flying towards his head. Kagome screamed his name, Sango and Miroku started running towards him, and Kirara leapt at the dragon.

The cat attached it's jaws to the offending arm, causing the dragon's eyes to go red. It screeched and flung Kirara at the two approaching humans. The cat-demon reverted to her smaller size just before slamming into Sango, who was propelled backwards into Miroku. All three landed in a pile on the grass.

"Are you guys alright?" Inuyasha hurried towards them.

Miroku sighed, wrapping an arm around Sango's waist. "Yes, yes. We're just perfect."

"Argh! Even at a time like this?" Sango shouted, trying to squirm out of the monk's grasp.

"I can't help it, beloved Sango. How can I resist when you've fallen into my arms?"

"_Pervert!_"

Kagome didn't wait to see the resolution of that argument, which she was sure would involve a lot of pain on Miroku's part. Rather, she notched an arrow, and pointed it at the dragon who was once again looking at Inuyasha favorably.

"Inuyasha! Just step away from the dragon!" She still didn't have a good enough shot of the Kombu, her aim being as unpredictable as it was.

"Kagome, I thought you would understand."

"I understand that it's a big ugly dragon that's looking at you like you're its next meal!"

"So, it has anger problems. You said I had anger problems, but you never tried to kill me..." He paused, index finger scratching the top of his head, deep in thought. "Well, ok, you never **willingly** tried to kill me..."

"It tried to take your head off!"

"But, nothing bad actually happened, right?"

The dragon raised another claw.

"Fine!" Kagome cried, drawing her bowstring taught. "If you're not gonna listen to reason, Inuyasha, then you leave me no choice!"

His ears twitched as her shrill cry reached him. Something about this whole situation was giving him a very nasty (though slightly muffled, due to the powder) sense of déjà vu. "Kagome? Are you... ok?"

"This is going to hurt you more than it hurts me, Inuyasha!" She took aim. "This is your last warning. Don't think I won't do it!"

Inuyasha started to back away. "Really, can't we discuss this over dinner or something?"

Kagome let the arrow fly.

"SIT!"

Inuyasha was pulled to the ground by Kagome's spell. The arrow flew over him, and hit the dragon right in the nose. With a yelp, and a burst of pink light, the creature evaporated in a wave of purifying energy.

Still tangled up in the grass, Miroku, Sango and Kirara released the breath they forgot they had been holding.

"I thought she might actually kill him, for a moment there," Sango confided. Kirara nodded.

Shippo, who had been trying to help them out (or hide behind his friends) whistled. "Don't **ever** get Kagome angry!"

-

Inuyasha was in a poor mood. He had the feeling that it would be a very cold day in hell before his friends forgot about the events of the week earlier. Although everything that had happened was a haze in his own memory, Shippo and Miroku had wasted no time in giving him all the gory details. Demon powder or no, he had made a complete fool of himself, and he was not going to live it down anytime soon.

Inuyasha tossed the last log into the fire pit with a huff. At least they were gone for the time-being, trying to find something suitable to eat. (Sango didn't trust him with the hunting yet.) He let his eyes drift over to Kagome, who had been diligently avoiding his gaze ever since he had come out of his stupor the day before. She was pretending to read one of her damned spell books again, but her eyes weren't moving along the page.

He muttered a curse for all women as he lit the kindling, then padded to a shadowy corner just outside of the fire's reach where he could sulk.

This silent treatment was more than Kagome could take. He hadn't spoken a word to her in a whole day, though he kept throwing funny looks in her direction every time he thought she wouldn't notice. If only Shippo hadn't told him about the flower... Her fingers brushed the soft petals of the iris absently while she tried to focus on the textbook in her lap.

_Let's see... The square root of the angle is inversely proportionate to the –_

"Thank you."

Kagome's head jerked up. "Wh-What?"

Inuyasha was crouching at the foot of a tree, looking off into the forest, but his ears were angled towards her. "For slaying that Dragon..." Amber eyes flickered in her direction, then darted away again. "The thing would've probably bit my head off if you hadn't."

Her eyes grew wider, sucking air in through her teeth. He was thanking her? "Of course. Aren't you always doing the same for us?"

"Keh. Wasn't much good to you, then."

His eyes didn't meet hers again, though he heard her set the enormous textbook on the ground, and her approaching footfalls. It wasn't an easy thing, admitting he had been unable to protect her. He didn't like imagining her facing a dragon alone, not only having to worry about her own life, but trying to reason with **him** in the process.

"Even though you were out of it, Inuyasha, you wouldn't have just stood there if any of us were in danger." She was kneeling beside him now, and he closed his eyes. Her scent always relaxed him, whether he wanted it to or not. "Whatever else you were feeling, you cared about our safety, too."

"Kirara-"

"Wasn't really hurt," she cut him off, "and she was the one who jumped at the dragon."

"Because I was acting like an idiot."

"Because she cares about you! Because **we** care about you!" Scowling when he only snorted, Kagome reached up and yanked at a tuft of his hair. "Listen to me! I thought you were past this macho, 'I-have-to-protect-everyone-and-never-rely-on-anyone' crap! You would have done the same thing for any of us! Do you have any idea how many times you've saved our necks? What's wrong with letting **us** return the favor once in a while? We're friends, remember? That's what friends do!"

Inuyasha watched her, eyes uncertain, for long moment after she had finished speaking. Kagome folded her arms indignantly and returned his gaze, silently daring him to question her sincerity.

Seconds ticked by.

Neither looked away.

An ear twitched.

The fire crackled.

His eyes fell on the blue flower in her hair.

"That has a pretty big spider in it, you know..."

"What?" Kagome jumped to her feet and threw the iris to the ground. "Aiiiiiii!"

Inuyasha backed away from the girl who was squealing loud enough to wake the dead, his ears plastered against his head. "Gah! Wench! Do ya have to be so loud about it?"

"Don't just stand there!" She snapped. "Where is it! Get it off of me! Ewwww!"

"Well – Damn it! Hold still! You're only making it worse!" She froze as he leapt up, took her head in his hands and carefully inspected the tangles she had made in her frantic attempt to locate the spider. A feral grin lit his eyes when he found the arachnid and extracted it from her hair. "Ha! Gotcha!"

Her eyes screwed shut. "Just... take care of it! I hate spiders..."

"S'not like it was poisonous..." He muttered, picking out the knots in her raven tresses with the tips of his nails. His own hair had seen worse snarls, and she probably could have taken care of it better with her brush, but as she leaned towards him, the top of her forehead rested on his chest and he found himself reluctant to move from that position.

"Maybe, but it was still gross." She sighed. "Whatcha doin?"

"Fixin' the mess you made," He sniffed. "And you stepped on the flower."

"Oops." Kagome looked on her poor, mangled iris, stamped with her own footprint. She felt a little sad, knowing that she probably wouldn't be getting any more from him anytime soon. "It was a pretty flower, too..."

"Keh." One clump of hair taken care of, he moved onto the next. "You don't really need one."

Kagome's heart sank. "No... guess not."

"Just attracts bugs," he continued to reason, unaware that the girl he was grooming was becoming more depressed by the second, "and they don't last long after you pick 'em."

"No," she lamented.

"And anyway, you..." His hands stilled.

"I what?" Kagome waited for a moment. When Inuyasha mumbled something incoherent, she raised her head, parting her hair from her face to look up at him. He was blushing, and seemed to find the blades of grass between his toes exceptionally interesting.

"You have a different scent." Defying the impossible, his cheeks blushed darker, still. "I like it better."

Kagome gasped. The cavernous pit of despair her heart had been wallowing in just moments before became a brightly lit glen filled with flowers and butterflies and cute little furry animals frolicking amongst the trees. Grinning from ear to ear, she launched herself at the flustered boy, enveloping him in a great bear hug.

It was Inuyasha's turn to squeak, though he would have never admitted to it. Several seconds passed before the half-demon was able to accept the fact that he was, indeed, being hugged by Kagome, and that the warm, happy feeling in his chest wasn't an after-effect of the poison. It took him a moment, but finally he returned the hug, wrapping his arms around the girl that he was certain he had never done anything to deserve.

"Thank you," Kagome whispered.

-

The End

-

_DISCLAIMER: I do not own Inuyasha. This fan fiction is not owned, authorized or otherwise endorsed by anyone associated with Inuyasha._

_AN: In case anyone is wondering what was taking Miroku, Sango, Shippo and Kirara so long, they were in the bushes, spying. _

_To everyone who has read and reviewed: Kill the toad demon, Pyro pixie, WJ, Lady Barrista, Reptilian Goddess, Mad for Manga, Jiggly Puff25,_ _Aino Minako, and Kikyou the Walnut... Thanks so much for taking the time to leave me a note, sometimes even sending me an e-mail, to let me know you liked the story! I do appreciate it and I'm sorry this took so long to finish but, life happens. After my computer crashed, I lost my rough draft of chapter three. I'm glad now, though, because I ended up changing it and like it better this way. I've changed the title, as you may have noticed, because I was listening to that song as I wrote the last part. Lyrics are from Phil Collin's version of "You Can't Hurry Love." Everything has been edited and polished til it shines, so I hope you enjoyed it. Thanks again!_


End file.
